Statistical model for predicting and improving ready mixed concrete batch plants’ performance ratio under different influences

• Main Author: Remon Fayek Aziz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-09-01
• Series: Alexandria Engineering Journal
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016817302272

Producers of ready mixed concrete think of improving concrete batch plants’ performance ratio to provide the construction market with high quality standards, save cost and time. Ready mixed concrete (RMC) is a mixture of different materials, which is delivered to customer in unhardened state and freshly mixed. Major objective of this study was to provide a clear understanding for predicting and improving the concrete batch plants’ performance ratio by use analysis of large collected data from more and different concrete batch plants and determining the most effective factors that have a great effect on concrete batch plants’ performance ratio. Predicting the actual future performance ratio and production rates for any concrete batch plant according to a groups of effective factors is the essential sector which is suggested in this paper using smart modeling analysis. Improving the performance ratio of concrete batch plant is selected because of its importance in construction field by studying and analyzing the most effective factors. The study will be done by collecting and studying large detailed data through start of 2012 till the end of 2016 and it will illustrate the time, quantities, distances and factors which affect concrete batch plants’ performance ratio. This paper is divided into six main groups, which are illustrated as follows: (1) It concludes the historical information about concrete batch plants and RMC, and introduces the objective of this paper and the most convincing definitions for productivity and Performance Ratio (PR). (2) It explains general information for ready mixed concrete batch plants, classifies plant types for determining criteria of pumping method and declares the modeling techniques, concept of standard performance, measuring productivity difficulties, productivity cycles, factors affecting equipment productivity, applications of construction productivity, concrete placement process, concrete equipment selection and methods of construction. Factors affecting concrete batch plants’ performance ratio were mentioned and it discussed the related studies for problem statement. (3) It mentions the concrete batch plant classifications, advantages and disadvantages of ready mix concrete batch plants, mixing process and the methodology. It analyzes and improves the concrete batch plant performance ratio using optimizing of its most effective variables. (4) It introduces and analyzes all variables data at the same time using input phase by Statistics Package for Social Science (SPSS) software; then the estimated model was developed in the final form. Stepwise forms of the model were done using SPSS to reduce and simplify the proposed model for getting the alternative simplified formulas and neglect the variables that have lowest and negligible effect. On the other hand, correlation matrix was done to indicate what will be impacted on concrete batch plant performance ratio when each variable changes. (5) It introduces an application of general and simplified models for a real case study on Suez power station project, which uses ready mixed concrete with theoretical capacity equal to 160 m3/h. The case study will be conducted to validate and verify the applications of the proposed general and simplified models to give optimum expressway for ready mixed concrete construction projects. (6) It introduces conclusions, recommendations and suggests future studies. Keywords: Ready mix concrete, Concrete batch plant, Productivity prediction, Factors, Performance ratio, Improvement